Night of Blood and Farewells
by lifeofabookaddict
Summary: Clary and her family travel around the world aiding Institutes in need of help, and she ends up in New York, her home from her childhood. She befriends Isabelle and bickers with Alec, but Jace is a completely different story. She'll have to keep her wits about her and hopes she won't be dead after only a month in New York. Danger is everywhere, even in the heart of the Institute.
1. Home again

A small girl with coppery red hair rubbed her temples and sighed in frustration, her head buzzing with tasks and events of the day. Her feet were making no sound as she walked along the empty halls of the Sydney Institute, but her humming reverberated off the cold stone walls. She reached a large set of intricately carved wooden double doors and knocked twice. There was a muffled shout of permission from inside and the young girl let herself in.

"Clarissa Fray, where have you been all day?" sitting at the head of a large glossy mahogany table was a slightly taller and older version of the red-headed girl.

"Calm down, Mom," Clary grumbled, "I was just at the library."

"What, for four _hours_?" Clary's mom's voice was strained and her hair was coming out of the hastily put up bun. "You ate breakfast with me four hours ago!"

"Yes, Mom, I get it. _Four hours_. What's the big deal?"

"The big deal, Clary, is that your mom and I asked you to get to work after breakfast." A tall man wearing a worn red flannel shirt and faded jeans appeared at the door. "Jocelyn, go get some lunch, I'll stay here with Clary and finish up."

Jocelyn narrowed her eyes at the two figures before her, knowing full well that Clary would end up distracted anyway. She muttered, "As long as you work, Luke."

Without another word, Jocelyn got up from her chair and walked out of the room. Clary sat down in one of the chairs and found herself seated behind a very intimidating stack of letters and packages.

"Luke. I'm tired." Clary yawned and put her head in her hands.

"We have to work, Clary," Luke said with a laugh, "or else your mom will have our heads."

Clary sighed and picked up the first letter from the stack and began reading.

Clary, along with her mom and Luke, had lived at the Sydney Institute in Australia for three months now. They were an on-demand task force. They went where the Clave needed them, which just so happened to be demon-infested Sydney, Australia. There were four other Shadowhunters in the Institute: a set of very intelligent yet surprisingly rowdy twin teenage boys and their parents. The father, Anthony Ralton, was the head of the Institute, but his wife, Arianna, often acted as his equally powerful partner. Clary and her family had moved here the day before her sixteenth birthday, much to Clary's annoyance. The two boys, Mark and Timothy, were always nice to her, but they had never become close. They all kept their distance because Clary's kind weren't known to stay in one place for too long. And it looked like three months was the longest she was going to have to stay in the Sydney Institute.

"Luke, come here." This was Clary's fourteenth letter and her brain was already started to feel fuzzy. "Look at this, the Clave sent us another request."

Luke groaned, "And now I'll have to pack all our stuff. Again."

"Oh come on!" Clary laughed with a smile, "It really isn't that bad seeing that you're a big buff werewolf."

Luke rolled his eyes and took the letter from Clary's hands. In surprise, he gasped, "New York? I never thought we'd see the United States again. I mean, demons are _terrified_ of us Americans."

"Well then, let's show them what we've got!" Clary grinned and stood up, stretching out her aching legs. She left the room practically bouncing with joy.

"Mark. Mark. Mark. Mark. Mark. Mark. Mark." Clary jabbed her finger into the tall boy's shoulder and continued saying his name, "Mark. Mark. Maaaaaaaarrrrrrrrkkkkkkkk."

"Thanks, Clary. My name now sounds like an alien word," Mark complained, "Seriously, what's going on?"

"Guess!" Clary giggled and made a show of skipping around the library like a little girl among a field of wildflowers.

"Um… Timothy dropped dead."

"Hey! I'm right over here, you know!" Timothy was glaring at the two of them over the top of his book.

"Just kidding, Tim." In a low voice, he whispered, "Not joking."

Clary just rolled her eyes and exclaimed excitedly, "I'm moving to New York!"

"Come on, Australia isn't _that_ bad!" Mark put a hand to his heart, adopting a comically wounded expression.

"Mark, we've spent seventeen years here. Aren't you tired of it yet?" Tim asked.

"Nope, I'm a true Aussie at heart!"

"Well I'm not. I'm a loud and proud American and I'm going back to New York!"

"Well Clarissa Fray, we're going to miss you whether you're an annoying American or not," declared Mark. Clary pulled him into a suffocating hug.

"I'm going to miss you guys, too." And with that, she dragged Timothy out of his chair and pulled them into a group hug.

"Hey, watch it! If you ruin my copy of Great Expectations, I will murder you!"

Clary just laughed and hugged them even tighter, not wanting to leave her two friends, but wanting to go home.

_Home_. Clary was going home.

* * *

The Portal glimmered and cast ghostly light onto the walls. Jocelyn would be going first, with Clary following and Luke bringing up the rear. Each of them had a large suitcase and a duffle bag with them along with steles and seraph blades hidden in their jackets and shoes just in case of an arbitrary attack. Jocelyn imagined the the grand New York Institute's front lawn and soon the image appeared in the shimmering Portal. Without looking back, she stepped in. Clary hesitated though and looked back at the four Shadowhunters behind her.

"Hey, Mark and Tim," Clary said, "you be good, alright? Go destroy those big bad demons together."

"Yes, _mother,_" the twins replied in unison.

"Oh, shut up you big idiots." Even though she had only spent a short amount of time in Australia, she had grown attached to them. Clary cleared her throat and with a wave, she said, "Goodbye Mr. and Mrs. Ralton. Bye Mark. Bye Tim. Maybe we'll see each other soon." Without another hesitation, she stepped into the Portal and was whisked away.

She blinked rapidly in an attempt to adjust to the blinding sunlight coming from above. After her vision cleared, she found her mom to be walking up the path to the New York Institute. Clary quickly followed suit and dragged her stuff to the front door. There were large trees lining the paved stone walkway and flowers were scattered here and there. The Institute itself was as grand as could be expected from one of the most prominent Institutes of the world. The entire building resembled that of a massive Gothic cathedral. While that normally may have looked depressingly gaudy, the pleasant addition of trees and flowers made it look beautiful. The large set of doors loomed over Clary's tiny figure and she suddenly felt a little bit of anxiety. _What if the people here don't like me?_ She worried, _What if I don't like_ them_?_

Clary felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Luke smiling at her as if he wanted to reassure her that everything was going to be okay, and who was she to doubt that? In turn, Clary looked at her mother and their little family pushed the doors open and stepped inside. The first thing Clary's eyes focused on was another set of doors. _Great, just how many doors will I have to open to get into this cursed building?_ Then, she noticed that they were not the standard wooden swinging doors, but great sliding blocks of solid metal. _An elevator? In a century-old building? That can't be safe._ Clary absentmindedly nibbled on her bottom lip and stumbled forward after her mother, who was taking great long strides towards the elevator. Jocelyn forcefully jabbed the "down" button and the doors opened with a _ding!_ The three of them clambered in and waited as the elevator descended into the depths of the earth. Not too long later, the doors opened and Clary found herself standing in front of five figures, all of them much taller than her. There was a man and woman who looked around the same age as Jocelyn and Luke. There were three others who looked not too much older than herself.

"Welcome to the New York Institute," the older woman greeted, "It's been so long since I've seen you, Jocelyn."

"Thank you, Maryse, for allowing us to stay here," replied Jocelyn with a gracious tilt of the head. Under her breath, she whispered, "Clary, introduce yourself."

"Hello," Clary said with a nervous smile, "I'm Jocelyn's daughter, Clarissa, but you can call me Clary."

"Luke Garroway." Luke went to shake the older man's hand, "Robert, it's great to see you."

Clary shifted her weight from right to left, looking down at her shoes. A bright voice spoke, "Hi, I'm Isabelle and this is my brother Alec. My younger brother, Max, is off running around somewhere, but you'll see him soon." Clary looked up to find herself looking at a gorgeous girl with the perfect figure and shiny straight black hair flowing down her back. Her smile was very warm and Clary immediately felt relieved. At least she would have a friend. She looked to her right to find the boy she presumed was Alec, who had the same dark hair as his sister, but his eyes were a bright blue instead of her deep black ones. He merely grunted a hello and went back to thinking about whatever his mind was occupied with. Clary looked away with a pang of annoyance. It was her first day and he already seemed to dislike her. She was about to say something about unpacking or something when the elevator opened and a boy stumbled out, bloody and stained with mud and black fluid. His eyes and hair were both a blindingly warm golden color with none of the falseness of bleached hair or contact lenses. He took a few moments to notice Clary, but when he did, his lips curved up in a smirk.

"You must be the new arrivals. I'm Jace, and I would suggest you to move aside unless you want blood all over you." And with no warning, he collapsed.

* * *

**Hey readers! Lifeofabookaddict here (that's quite a mouthful) and I'd just like to thank you for reading this! I looooove constructive criticism (I practically _live_ on it), so review review review! I'm going to try to update every 1-2 weeks. If I don't, you guys can message me and yell at me to write some more. Again, thanks! :)**


	2. Reunited at last

**A/N: Hey people! I know it hasn't been nearly close to one full week, but I was just so excited to write more... so here it is: the second chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or concepts (Shadowhunters, _iratzes, _etc.). Props to Cassandra Clare for creating such wonderful characters! **

* * *

When Clary was little, she would walk across streets as slow as a snail with as much purpose as one. She'd skip and saunter and jump and lunge. Once, she had been standing in the middle of the road admiring a flower that had fallen on the pavement and hadn't noticed the change in sound or lighting. A car was speeding straight towards her, its engine growling and headlights glaring. Distracted and lost in thought, Clary's feet moved too slowly and she didn't have enough time to jump out of the way. If her mother hadn't been standing a few feet away, her life would have ended that day. Needless to say, Clary's reaction time wasn't up to par, at least not to Shadowhunter standards.

Of course, this applied to every situation, and apparently even more so when Jace in all his gorgeous goldenness, fell straight towards Clary. She had been so caught up in his eyes that she barely had to time to stick her arms out in a vain attempt to catch the taller and much bigger boy. She managed to break his fall, but ended up crashing to her knees with Jace in her arms. Blood was staining her sleeves and her jeans, but it was the smell that she couldn't stand. _Demon blood_, Clary thought. She felt nauseated and tried to disentangle herself from Jace's limp body. The blood of demons had always had this effect on her, and as a Shadowhunter, she had always enjoyed the increased sensitivity to their smell, but it was the close proximity now that caused her stomach to churn and her head to pound.

She finally managed to stand up when her knees buckled and she collapsed as well. She could only remember the worried faces of her mother and Luke before she blacked out.

* * *

Clary woke with a fuzzy feeling in her head. She could make out voices, and she strained to listen to the conversation, even if it took all her energy to stay awake.

"…don't worry, it's going to be okay, Jocelyn," comforted Luke, "You know how she is with demon blood."

"Yes, but she's never been rendered unconscious by it before," Jocelyn argued.

"Well, she's been tired these past days and she's never had quite that much blood on her," reasoned Luke.

Clary blinked rapidly, her eyes trying to adjust to the blinding light. Her head was resting on a pile of soft pillows and she was resting on a white bed. She wondered if this was the Infirmary. Her headache had disappeared and the sick feeling in her stomach was gone, but Clary still didn't feel completely _right_. Her body sagged with fatigue and she wasn't even sure if she would even be able to sit up. Either way, she tried and half-succeeded only to be pushed back down by her mother.

"Clary, not so fast," she warned, "The demon blood drained your energy. You … absorbed it."

"Absorbed it?" Clary exclaimed, "What, am I part demon now?"

"No, of course not!" Jocelyn laughed, "Being Nephilim does have its perks. Plus, absorbing their blood doesn't change you, it's just not exactly good for you."

"How long have I been out?"

"Just an hour," answered Jocelyn, "Nothing major."

Clary plopped back down onto her pillow and sighed. She heard something move to her right. Suddenly, she remembered exactly what had happened that lead up to her being in this place.

"How's… what's-his-name... Jace?"

"Jace? Oh, he's fine. He's actually resting in the Infirmary as well. He had some pretty deep cuts, but it was nothing an _iratze_ couldn't fix," Luke responded quietly, trying to not disturb the resting boy.

"Good. Wouldn't want anyone dying on our first day here." Clary yawned sleepily and murmured, "I'm going to sleep more, okay? Do you need me to do anything today?"

"No, it's fine, Clary," Jocelyn replied, pushing stray strands of Clary's fiery red hair back. "We'll just leave you to rest. Sweet dreams."

When Luke and Jocelyn left, Clary sat up again, scanning the room for any blond boys with gold eyes. She found him to her right, about five beds away and staring at the ceiling moodily.

"Uh, Jace?" Clary whispered, "Are you okay?"

"What?" Jace looked startled, "How do you know my name?"

"You sort of introduced yourself then fell on me."

"Oh. Right. Sorry about that."

"No problem."

"Actually, I'm not sorry," he looked thoughtful for a moment. "Girls would love to have me on top of them." Jace smirked.

"Well, not me, Jace. Having a bloody fool on me wasn't very pleasant."

"A hot fool."

"A big-headed, arrogant, self-righteous fool." And with that, Clary pulled off the covers and made a move toward the exit and away from Jace.

"Wait, where are you going?" Jace shouted.

"Anywhere that isn't here!" Clary pushed the doors open and left a very bewildered Jace behind her.

* * *

Clary was enjoying a nice iced tea with a slice of lemon thanks to Maryse. When Isabelle had offered to make her some food, Alec had quickly jumped in and shouted "No!", leaving Clary very confused and Isabelle very angry.

"My cooking is _not_ that bad!" Isabelle fumed.

"I got food poisoning after I ate some french toast you made me. Toast," pointed out Alec, "I'm not trusting your food anymore."

"Oh, come on. That wasn't my fault! It was the bread!"

"Trust me," laughed a voice coming from the entrance of the kitchen, "it wasn't the bread."

Jace, completely healed and as glowing as could be, was leading against the wall, seemingly bored. He was wearing a fitted gray t-shirt and jeans, but he still managed to look a hundred times better than he should've in that outfit. He grinned and sat down in a chair next to Clary, draping his arms over the back.

"Hey," Jace started. He turned towards Clary and said, "I'm sorry if we got off on the wrong foot. Can we start over?"

"Well, there's not much to start over from, but sure," agreed Clary, "I'm Clary Fray and I recently moved here from the Sydney Institute."

"I'm Jace Herondale and I've lived here for my whole life. Or at least for what counts."

"Well then, how long has that been?"

"I've been here for eleven of my seventeen years. And how old are you?"

"Tsk tsk, Jace. You never ask a girl her age."

"You did say that you weren't like other girls."

"Fine, I'm sixteen."

"And where did you originally come from? I can't hear any Australian accent in there, but I wish I did. Accents are hot."

Clary rolled her eyes and replied, "Stalker, much?"

"No, I'm just curious," Jace said innocently.

"Well then you can stay curious." Clary stood up and grabbed her half-done iced tea. "I have work to do, so if you don't mind, I'll be leaving now."

"Oh come on, Clary," complained Jace, "what's up with you and ditching me?"

"Don't take it personally, Jace. You're really not that important."

Jace's hand went to his heart in mock indignation and he gasped loudly, "Dear Clary, I am most offended!"

Clary laughed while waving goodbye and prepared herself for the day's work. She fully expected a stack of papers and letters so high that it would touch the ceiling with ease. The Clave had been pestering the Frays for awhile now, always telling them to settle down in one Institute. They had sent them to New York in hopes that they would stay instead of being rogue Shadowhunters without any commitment to a single Institute, and so far Clary was fine with that. She'd seen enough of the world in her first sixteen years and was already tired of running around from place to place. She'd walked the Great Wall of China with the Beijing Institute, climbed Mount Everest with the Kathmandu Institute, seen the Eiffel Tower with the Paris Institute, and watched golden parade floats and dancers with large feathered costumes with the Rio de Janeiro Institute. After traveling the world for most of her life, she had come full circle, right back to where she had started all those years ago. Her parents had been traveling since she was six years old and Clary couldn't remember much of New York City, and so the place had always held a lot of wonder and curiosity.

After taking several wrong turns in the winding hallways of the Institute, Clary found her mother in her so-called "office" scribbling away on a piece of paper.

Clary cleared her throat and asked, "Anything I need to do?"

"There's a letter for you, honey," said Jocelyn without looking up, "It's right over there." She motioned vaguely to a small table in the corner of the room.

She walked over to the pile of papers and grabbed the top envelope.

_To Clarissa Fray  
New York Institute_

_From Annika Clemence  
Paris Institute_

_Dear Clary,  
It's been so long since we've seen each other! I'd heard that you've been relocated back to New York... which just so happens to be where I'm heading to in about two days. By the time you get this, I'll probably already be in the city. My parents got sick of working for the people in Paris (you know, French brats and all) and so the Clave decided that New York needed some help. Knowing that you were were there (I swear I'm not a stalker), I offered for us to go to the New York Institute, and the request was accepted! I'm looking forward to seeing you again and get ready to get your butt kicked because I'm challenging you to a duel. Yes. A _duel_. See you soon, Clary!_

_Best wishes,  
Annie C._

Clary stared at the letter for at least ten minutes, trying to comprehend the words. She had lived in Paris right before moving to Sydney and it was there that she had spent most of her time. She had lived with the Clemence family and Annie became the sister she never had. They were alike in so many ways: artsy, fast, and musically gifted, except Annie was about four inches taller and had more of the lithe grace that Clary had always envied. _  
_

And a duel? Clary hadn't fought Annie in several months and with her slight height advantage, Annie always had the upper hand.

Despite feeling a bit nervous about seeing her best friend after such a long time, Clary was grinning ear to ear. Finally. She would have a friend. Isabelle didn't count yet and she doubted that Jace and Alec would ever be able to listen to Clary's problems and complaints, especially if they were about them.

_Ding!_

Even from the secluded office, Clary could hear the elevator door open, announcing the arrival of another Shadowhunter whom she presumed to be Annika. She threw the letter back on the table and sprinted out the door towards the front of the Institute. She rounded the corner and caught a glimpse of brown hair and Annie's blue eyes and, without any pretense of decorum, ran straight towards her and tackled her in a bear hug.

"God, Clary!" Annie shrieked, "You've grown! You're, like, not a midget!"

Clary punched her in the arm and laughed, "Even as a midget, I could beat the pulp out of you!"

"Oh, you want to bet?"

"Hit me with your best shot, wimp!"

"Training room. Now." Annie grinned.

"If only I knew where it is..." murmured Clary sheepishly.

"If you ladies need some help, I'd be happy to give you both a tour," Jace offered. He had been silent to the point where even Clary, with her pretty decent sense of hearing, hadn't heard him. "I mean, it's not everyday two beautiful girls show up at the Institute with absolutely no idea where they're going." Jace winked at Annie and smirked at Clary. Clary rolled her eyes, but her lips couldn't help curling into a smile. She looked at Annie to find her blushing a bit and smiling shyly at the floor.

"Annie, this is Jace," Clary introduced, "and Jace, this is Annie, who just arrived from Paris."

"Oh, a French girl? What a pleasure to meet you, Annie."

"Glad you think so," Annie said coyly, "Now if you'd be so kind as to show Clary and I to the training room, we have a bet to sort out."

"With pleasure, dear Annie." Jace offered his arm to Annie and she looped hers in his. A little fire had flared in Clary's stomach at this simple gesture and she suddenly became very frightened. Was she... _jealous?_ Clary scoffed out loud and Jace turned to look at her with raised eyebrows. She just shrugged and kept walking behind her best friend and Jace, glaring at their linked arms. She desperately tried to suppress the growing feeling of anger in her, but to no avail.

After a series of confusing turns, the trio ended up in front of the _massive_ training room. There were weapons _everywhere_. For the moment, Clary just focused on the absolute beauty of it all and forgot about her little jealousy. Mouth gaping in awe, she dazedly walked into the room and plucked a narrow sword from the wall. The grip was made of worn leather and the hilt was decorated with intricate engravings of swirls and loops and designs that Clary would never be able to decipher. She liked the lightness of it, how it slashed through the air with perfect ease, and the way it felt in her small hands. She tested her sword arm a couple times, slashing and stabbing, circling and cutting. It had been awhile since she had used a sword; she mostly used daggers and _steles_ to make runes. Clary turned to look at Jace and Annie and found herself to be rather embarrassed. Jace was staring at her with a slightly wide-eyed, yet very intense, expression and was frozen to the spot. His arm was no longer in Annie's, and to be honest, Clary was quite happy with that while Annie obviously wasn't. The brunette girl wasn't particularly _angry_, she just looked disappointed.

"Jace?" Clary asked, "Would anyone mind if I kept this?"

Jace snapped out of his dazed state and replied, "Nah, that old thing's been collecting dust for awhile. Take it, it's yours."

"Thanks." Clary then turned to Annie. "So how about that duel?"

"Get ready to be crushed, Clarissa Fray."

"I'll take that as a yes."

"Mind if I watch?" Jace interjected.

The two girls glanced pointedly at each other and came to some sort of silent agreement. It was Annie who spoke, "Sure, I'd love for you to see me beat Clary up."

"Oh it's on like Donkey Kong." Clary grinned and said, "Okay, hand-to-hand, no weapons, and... Jace can be the judge on whether a blow is fatal."

Jace just smiled and said, "This is going to be fun."

Clary and Annie began circling each other, assessing their opponents positions and trying to remember each other's weaknesses. Annie had broken her left ankle as a child and always favored it. Clary had dislocated her right wrist more times than she could count.

It was Annie that made the first move. She dropped low for a sweeping kick and Clary jumped over her leg and made a move to kick Annie in the shoulder. Annie blocked Clary's accelerating leg with her right forearm and knocked Clary out of the air. She rolled onto the ground and found herself in prime positions to kick Annie's left ankle. She swept her leg toward her target when Annie went in for a kick to Clary's stomach. Before her foot could make contact with Annie's ankle, Clary felt a sudden hit to her stomach and the breath was knocked out of her. She gasped loudly and found herself on her back, being pinned down by Annie.

"Ready to give up so soon?" taunted Annie with a laugh.

"Never."

Clary spat in Annie's face which startled the girl so much that she barely loosened her grip on Clary's wrists, but it was enough. Clary swung her fist up and made contact with Annie's shoulder. Using whatever strength and momentum she had, Clary grabbed the same shoulder and flipped Annie onto her back. She pressed her forearm onto Annie's neck and pushed down ever so lightly.

"Clary Fray wins the match!" Jace exclaimed.

Clary looked over at him and her green eyes met his. His golden eyes warmed her from the tips of her toes to the very top of her head. What in the world was he doing to her?


	3. Pandemonium, with a dash of Chaos

**A/N: Hey, so I'm writing this on my iPad... meaning that there will probably web countless typos and idiotic autocorrects that I won't catch. Please ignore them and thanks for reading! :)**

* * *

Clary circled once, twice, then three times around the small bedroom. The walls were white and bare, with only a couple scuffs and scratches. Maryse had told her that this was to be her room. "This is your responsibility as well as your own creative space. It's yours for the taking," she had said. To be honest, the room seemed bleak and stark compared to Clary's past bedrooms, in which the walls had been meticulously painted and primed. This, Clary decided, was the first thing she would do.

The next morning, or rather her second day at the Institute, she set to work. After buying gallons of blue paint from the hardware store and hours of hard work painting the walls, Clary's room was no longer white and Clary's hands were no longer clean.

It was a horribly slow day for Clary, what with her mother giving her a break from answering letters and the act that there were no demons to be bothered. She decided that it was high time for her to truly meet Isabelle and Alec. Perhaps they'd be able to offer something to pass the time. Clary walked to the kitchen with Annie and found the siblings sitting around the table.

"Pandemonium," they had both replied when Clary asked for any special places she should see. "A club filled to the brim with bloodthirsty demons."

"Sounds pleasant," Annie commented.

"Not pleasant, per say," Isabelle respond, "more chaotic than anything else."

"It's our main 'hunting' area," added Alec, "One can always count on Pandemonium if you want to find some naughty demons."

"We should go tonight," Isabelle offered.

"I'd love to, but..." started Clary.

"But what?"

"I have nothing to wear."

"I don't own a closet for nothing, Clary. You can borrow some of my stuff."

"Thanks, Isabelle. I'm going to take a nap. Wake me up when you're ready to go."

And so the adventure started. It was only three in the afternoon when Isabelle called Clary over to her bedroom. Confused and slightly annoyed at the interruption in her nap, Clary grumbled all the way while Isabelle chattered on and on about how Clary really needed new clothing. "I mean, look at those jeans! They're practically dying to be retired," she exclaimed.

Clary had heard great things about the closets of red-carpet celebrities, like how they were the size of a bedroom and decorated with chandeliers and couches. However, this did not prepare her for what she came to witness when she opened the doors of Isabelle Lightwood's Castle of Clothes. One entire wall was dedicated to shoes, everything from strappy heels (minimum of five inches tall), combat boots, and suede flats. Right in front of the Great Wall of Shoes was a couch with matching ottoman. Another wall was covered in mahogany cabinetry stock full of dresses: ranging from floor-length ball gowns to short sundresses. The opposite wall had pants and skirts clipped by hangers with jeans filling the drawers beneath the shelves. The middle of the room had a free-standing rack of a variety of shirts so large in number that Clary wondered if Isabelle planned to clothe a small yet very fashionable army. The ceiling was covered in crystal chandeliers and strung with fairy lights.

"Close your mouth, Clary," said Isabelle, "It isn't becoming."

Clary hadn't realized that her jaw had dropped to the floor and quickly snapped it shut. She had never been one for shopping or anything "fashion" at all, and this display certainly didn't help the cause. If anything, it was intimidating.

"Okay, so we're probably going to squeeze some demon-hunting into our plans..." muttered Isabelle, "so we'll need something fluid and flexible."

Isabelle help up a purple dress bedecked with rhinestones and glitter.

"Too flashy?"

Clary just groaned and said, "I'd look like a shiny grape in that."

"So that would be a no."

This continued for about an hour before Isabelle finally threw her hands up in the air and exclaimed, "You're hopeless, Clary! Really!"

Clary was sprawled on the couch, staring at the Wall of Shoes when she found something interesting in her peripheral vision. A little flutter of black fabric was peeking out of the Dominion of Dresses. Clary pointed at it and said, "How about that one?"

"If you suggest one more pair of jeans and a t-shirt, I will murder you."

"No, the black dress in the back."

"What bla- Oh. Hm."

Isabelle wrestled it from the tangle of hangers and held it up for Clary to see. It was the simplest dress of them all: strapless, stretchy, and short.

"Perfect, Clary. This will give you the mobility and _umph_ you need."

She tossed it to Clary, who caught it deftly in her hands and began to pull it on. After a bit of tugging and readjusting, Clary found herself standing in front of the mirror in awe. The dress hugged her skin like a glove, giving an illusion of a figure. It came to the middle of her thighs and showed off her toned legs, which were well tanned and muscled due to demon-fighting. The black color gave a perfect background for her red hair, like a dark canvas for crimson paint. Isabelle wrapped a thin leather jacket around Clary's shoulders and handed her some strappy black heels.

"Clary. You are going to knock the socks off those boys."

It took about another two hours of hair-curling, mascara wand-waving, eyeshadow brush-sweeping, hairspraying, and lipstick-coating before Isabelle was satisfied with Clary's appearance. She had already done her own makeup when Clary had gone for a quick shower and was looking as striking as ever. She was wearing a red strapless dress that barely reached her thighs and showed a lot more chest than Clary had thought was necessary.

Clary tied on her borrowed heels and put some dangly silver earring in and looked at her reflection in Isabelle's vanity. The heels made her legs seem infinitely longer, the smoldering brown eyeshadow made her green eyes glimmer, the red lipstick made Clary's sheepish smile into a sexy smirk, and the dress made her thankful for the hours and hours of fitness training. Shocked and happy with how she looked, Clary turned away from the mirror to ask for Isabelle's approval to find that her friend had outdone her. Her black was looped in some intricate updo and her red lips made her look Snow White-esque. Paired with the red dress and strappy gold heels, she looked like she was going to a celebrity afterparty in Vegas with Tom Cruise or maybe Joseph Gordon-Levitt, not a random club in south-central Manhattan with a bunch of misfit teenagers that ran around stabbing "fictional" creatures.

"Isabelle, you look amazing!"

Isabelle just shrugged and said, "I've had a lot of practice with makeup, that's all."

After gathering up some seraph blades and their _steles_ the two girls went to go find Annie. They knocked on the door twice and waited, but there was no response. The two girls looked at each other and shrugged, continuing on to the front of the Institute where the boys had agreed to meet with them. Clary could hear laughter and was able to distinguish the tinkling giggle of Annie and the smooth voice of Jace. The freshly dolled-up pair walked around the corner and found Annie standing _very_ close to Jace, almost as if they were attached at the hip. When Jace finally noticed their presence, he looked up and his eyes widened. Clary fully expected him to be staring at Isabelle, but was surprised and flattered to find him gaping at her. When his gold eyes found her emerald ones, she felt her insides melt. He was wearing a black button up that showed off his chiseled body and jeans that sat low on his waist. His hair was tousled and his rune marks were peeking out of his collar and sleeve.

Annie snapped Clary out of her daze by exclaiming, "Clary Fray? What in the world happened to you? You look _gorgeous_ in that dress! And makeup, too? Isabelle, you're a genius."

"Yeah, a genius. You look good, Red," Jace said while maintaining eye contact. His mouth was curved in a smirk and his eyes glinted with mischief. "Isabelle, you look _stunning_, as always."

"No need for flattery, Jace, but thank you." Isabelle smiled and looped her arm around Alec's, who was currently leaning against the wall, looking disinterested.

With great effort, Clary broke the staring contest and walked towards the door. "Shall we go?"

"Let's." Jace, without ever turning away from Clary, reached for Annie's hand and led her to the door.

The five of them walked comfortably on the sidewalk, the epitome of relaxation. Isabelle and Alec brought up the front and Jace and Annie were walking together in the middle with Clary bringing up the rear. She stared at the pair in silent fury. What did Jace think he was doing, flirting with Clary while obviously showing interest in Annie? Or was he even flirting? Clary just sighed in confusion and focused on walking.

In all fairness, Annie looked amazing as well. She was wearing a cobalt strapless dress with cutouts in the dress that showed her back. Since she was wearing heels, she came right up to Jace's forehead and the two matched each other stride for stride. Her brown hair was in soft waves falling down her back while her bangs were braided back. Jealousy bubbled up in Clary without restraint and she found herself clenching her fists.

The group reached the doors of Pandemonium and passed the bouncer without problem, stepping into the hot and strobe-lighted club. Immediately, Clary spotted an Eidolon demon with short purple hair and red eyes.

"Eidolon. Purple hair, red eyes." Clary nudged Isabelle in a playful manner while whispering to her.

"I'll get him." With a flash of black hair and red fabric, Isabelle was thrust into the mass of moving bodies.

The group dispersed and surrounded the horde of dancing bodies, casually drinking or chatting with others, all the while keeping a trained eye on Isabelle and the demon. It wasn't long before Isabelle had successfully seduced the demon, leading him into the dank and empty mechanical control room. The other four Shadowhunters casually snuck away from their hiding spots and toward the dark room where two silhouettes could be clearly made out. Of course, Isabelle was only visible to the Shadowhunters due to the strongly drawn _mendelin_ rune. A mundane would have only been able to see a strange boy hiding out in an empty room.

Making sure that no one was watching, they drew their own _mendelins _and stepped into the room, just in time to find Isabelle expertly lashing her whip at the demon's throat. The coil closed around its neck, keeping it in place until Jace could deliver the death blow, as he always did. The red eyes of the demon flashed and glared at Jace, who was staring at the demon as well.

"Jace, my oh my," it cooed, "look how much you've grown."

"How do you know me?"

"Why, don't you remember me?"

"I don't keep tabs on all the filthy demons I meet."

"Then I'll make sure you remember me this time. I have a message for you."

"I don't have time for your mind games, pathetic demon."

The demon ignored him and continued, "The Master has noticed your exceptional skills with sword and blade and would like for you to meet him."

"Who do you work for?"

"Master Jonathan Christopher Morgernstern had invited you to dinner at the Morgenstern Mansion at precisely four o'clock on the Friday of next week."

Jace paled and his breath caught. "Do I have a choice?"

"I'm afraid not." With a whoosh and a bang, the demon was gone, leaving Isabelle's whip hanging loosely at her side and the five Shadowhunters standing in silence in the smoky room.


	4. An Invitation

**A/N: Hey! This is probably going to be a shorter one... I'm a little tired right now because I just came back from several hours of skiing and I'm totally ready to crash. Thanks for reading and please review!**

"Jace?" Clary put her hand on his trembling shoulder. "Are you alright?"

As if he suddenly realized that he wasn't the only person in the room, Jace jumped a little bit and looked at his feet. "Do you know who Jonathan Morgenstern is?"

"He's the son of Valentine Morgenstern: leader of the Circle. Everyone knows that."

"Well, he's a little more than that. He's half-demon and he's out to kill me."

"Oh, Jace," said Isabelle, "you can't just assume that! You've barely even met the guy!"

"And the one time I did, he tried to slit my throat," Jace pointed out.

"Why does he want to kill you?" Annie asked.

Jace looked between Clary and Annie with an unreadable expression. His eyes lingered on Clary's hand on his shoulder and then again when he saw her face, but he was outright staring at Annie. Clary removed her hand at once, blushing ever-so-slightly and stepped back from Jace.

"He doesn't want any competition. He's one of the most powerful Shadowhunters in existence. He has no compassion, no empathy, and no feelings, making him the perfect killer. He thinks that my power threatens his position as the best."

"No offense, Jace, but who said that you were even close to the best?" Clary laughed a little bit, "Are you sure this isn't just your arrogance showing through again?"

Jace glared at Clary. "Think what you want, but answer this: he's part demon, right?"

"Right. You just said that."

"Demons and angels are opposites and enemies, correct?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"I'm part angel."

"Jace, we're all descended from angels. Not much to brag about there."

"No, you don't get it!" Jace growled, "I am literally half-angel. I have the blood of angels running through my veins, and not as a faint trace. My mother was injected with it while she was pregnant with me."

"She wanted to make you half-angel?" Clary asked incredulously.

"No, she never did. Someone else did it without her permission."

"And who would that be?" Alec asked.

"Valentine Morgenstern."

* * *

The Shadowhunters stepped out of Pandemonium without even thinking about partying anymore. The threat of danger loomed over their heads like a lingering storm cloud. They walked to the Union Square subway station, not in the mood for walking another fourteen blocks back to the Institute. They rode the whooshing subway in silence. Jace had worry lines etched into his forehead as he was thinking, Clary was twiddling her thumbs and trying to avoid interacting with moody Jace, Isabelle was twirling her hair around her finger in concern, Annie was looking back and forth between Clary and Jace, and Alec was staring out the window in what could be perceived as "deep thought," but Clary thought it looked like he was sleeping.

They stepped out of the subway at 103rd Street and walked out of the slightly empty station without hesitation. Again, they travelled in silence all the way back to the Institute where the group split and walked to their separate rooms without a glance. Jace was the only one who didn't make a move to go to the living quarters: he headed to the library instead. It wasn't long before the sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the halls.

"Guys! Guys!" Jace shouted, "I need to show you something! Now!"

"Okay, okay," Clary said, "no need to get all in a fuss."

"I have a reason to fuss!"

Soon, the five Shadowhunters were gathered around a table in the library, staring at a small sheet of paper.

_To Mr. Jace Lightwood_

_I hope you've had a wonderful evening. I apologize if my messenger demon startled you, I just to be certain that you received my invitation to dinner. I have another request for you. When you come for dinner, bring Clarissa Fray. I'd very much like to meet her._

_Jonathan Morgenstern_

Clary stared at the slightly wrinkled piece of paper in shock. How did this Jonathan person even know her? What did he want with her? She looked up at the rest of the group to find them all staring at her, but the only one who caught her attention was Jace. His mouth was set in a grim line and the worry lines were back. He looked as if he wanted to say something to her, but didn't know what to say.

"Looks like you're not going alone, Jace," Clary murmured.

"You can't go!" Jace practically yelled.

"Why not?" Clary countered, "If I don't go, he'll have more reason to kill you, or even me!"

"Because this is between Jonathan and I. You don't have to be a part of this."

"Now I do. He'd kill you. I can at least watch your back while we're there. We're two trained Shadowhunters against one."

"Absolutely not! I will _not _have you hurt under my watch!"

"Who said I'll get hurt?" Despite the indignation rising up in her, she felt very warm all of a sudden. Did Jace actually care?

"He's Jonathan _Morgenstern_, he'll find every possible way to hurt you!"

"Your faith in me is astounding."

Jace just sighed and said firmly, "You're not going."

"Am too."

"No, you aren't."

"Yes, I am."

"No."

"Yes."

"No way!"

"Yes, way!

"Will you two stop fighting like children over a toy?" Alec shouted, "The immaturity levels are reaching record highs!"

"Seriously, you two need to shut up for a second," Isabelle scolded, "Jace, Clary is a trained Shadowhunter. She's as capable as you are. On the other hand, Clary, you probably shouldn't just jump into dangerous situations like that."

"How could you say that, Isabelle?" Jace yelled, "We can't just risk Clary's life like that!"

"If I hadn't already gotten the chance to know you, I would think that you actually care." Clary's voice was dripping with irony. Truth is, she sincerely hoped that he did care.

"Don't assume that you're so important, Clarissa Fray," Jace snapped, "I just don't want you to mess this up and get us both hurt."

"Well then, have fun going by yourself to find an enraged Jonathan. I'm sure that'll end well." Clary stood up and started walking to the door. "Have fun dealing with that lunatic by yourself. Oh right, you're the _amazing_ Jace Herondale. You'll be fine."

Clary stepped through the doors and slammed the doors back, storming off towards her room. She strode with furious steps all the way through the winding corridors of the Institute until she reached the doors of her bedroom. Once inside, she collapsed on her bed and continued to glare at the ceiling for a great number of minutes. Her mind was jumbled with churning emotions. Did Jace really care? Or was he just trying to save himself? Was he really that stupid? Why did he have to be so infuriatingly stubborn? Did he really see her as some little girl that he needed to protect? Either way, she didn't want to have to deal with him for the remainder of the night.

Clary got ready for bed and changed into an old t-shirt and plaid pajama bottoms and curled up under the covers. The last thing on her mind was the concerned face of Jace and somehow Clary just wasn't all that angry anymore.

* * *

The sunlight streaming through the window alerted the semiconscious Clary to the presence of the morning. She rubbed her eyes sleepily and stretched, momentarily forgetting the previous night's events. When she finally remembered all that had happened, she groaned. _Great, I'll have to deal with that jerk's amazingly prevalent ego._ With a grumble, Clary got up and went to get ready.

About ten minutes later, Clary stood in front of the floor-length mirror in her room. She was wearing a simple green v-neck t-shirt and dark wash jean shorts with her stele stuck in the back. Her hair was down and hanging around her face like a curtain of copper, making her eyes seem even more green. Generally pleased with looking decent, she grabbed her sketchbook and a freshly sharpened pencil and headed out towards the kitchen. As assumed, Jace, Isabelle, Alec, and Annie were sitting around the dining table, eating various breakfast-like foods.

"Hey, Clary!" Isabelle greeted, "Help yourself to breakfast. We have eggs, pancakes, cereal with milk, waffles, and english muffins."

"Don't worry," Annie said, "Izzy didn't make any of it."

Clary laughed and headed towards the buffet-like line up of foods and grabbed a bowl of cereal and milk. She walked to the table and settled down in the seat next to Isabelle, on the very end of the table. She propped her sketch pad up on the table and began to doodle with directly spoonfuls of cereal into her mouth. An image instantly sprung up: the sight of Isabelle lashing her whip out at the Eidolon demon in Pandemonium with Jace, Clary, Annie, and Alec in the doorway. The others talked animatedly about one thing or another, but Clary was completely ignoring them. She was in a focused state of mind, entirely engulfed in her work.

"Nice drawing," Jace said right behind her, startling Clary so much that she dropped her sketch pad and pencil while scooting her chair back, which crashed into Jace.

"Holy crap, Jace!" Clary exclaimed, "Don't do that!"

"No need to be so jumpy, Red."

"Shadowhunter instinct," muttered Clary. She stood up and gathered her things while setting the emptied bowl and spoon in the dishwasher. She walked towards the door with every intention of leaving the Institute for some quiet drawing in Central Park. Perhaps she would even get a couple stray demons or two.

"Wait!" Jace caught up to her and stopped her by placing his hand on her shoulder, "Where are you going?"

"Away from here. Why do you care?"

"I'm sorry about last night, okay?"

"You're... what? Apologizing?" Clary was genuinely shocked at this show of humility.

"Don't sound so surprised."

"I have every right to be."

"Look, I'm sorry about being... difficult. I just... really don't want anything bad to happen to you."

Clary was speechless.

Jace continued, "I thought it over and if you're still willing to go, I'd like for you to accompany me to the dinner."

"Of course, Jace. I'll go."

"Thanks, Clary." Jace's face lit up with a smile.

"Since I'm being forced into a life-and-death situation with you, I think you do owe me."

He extended his hand towards her. "How about a walk around Central Park?"

She feigned indecision. "Well, I guess that'll have to do." Despite her passive exterior, Clary felt her insides grow fluttery. This just couldn't get any better.


	5. Ducks and Central Park

**A/N: Hi! It's been, what, a week? Seems like a lot longer, to me. What are your thoughts on my weekly updates? Yay? Nay? Hay? Hay is for horses. Sorry, getting sidetracked. **

**If anyone needs a map of Manhattan/the area near the Institute/where the story takes place, go to the Shadowhunters World website Books The Mortal Instruments See the City (right hand column under "The World of The Mortal Instruments")**

**(It was a big help whilst writing this.)**

**Disclaimer: I own none of the characters other than Ms. Annika Clemence. Whom you all seem to... "not like."**

* * *

The sunlight broke through the clouds like a ray of hope amidst the darkness. The birds were chirping with enhanced fervor and the busy Manhattan streets were packed with laughing tourists, honking taxis, and smiling street performers. Central Park was no exception to the craze and amped energy. As Clary and Jace walked along the tree-lined pavement, she felt herself being caught up by the sight of eccentric men on stilts or those people who painted themselves silver and stood in statue-like stillness and mostly a small boy playing his violin with all the passion of an eight-year-old. As much as Clary enjoyed Jace's company, she was just too distracted by the sights and wonders of Central Park, the heart of Manhattan.

And during all this, Jace stayed by her side, pointing out landmarks like the Burnett Fountain. The Institute was located on 103rd street, which was very far north of any of the touristy attractions like the Lake and the Bethesda Terrace. All the better, according to Jace.

"Have you ever been to New York City, Clary?" Jace asked, forcing Clary to stop sweeping the entire area with her gaze. She focused on Jace's face.

"I was born here, but I moved away when I was young."

"Oh really? Well, did you ever take the time to explore the Park?"

"Not nearly enough."

Jace looked thoughtful and then proceeded to direct her attention to popular spots while they continued their journey. Where were they heading? Clary had absolutely no idea.

* * *

It was about another hour before Jace stopped abruptly at the base of a gently sloping hill. He turned to Clary, smirked, and then grabbed her hand, dragged her up the hill, and continued to steer her through the trees and groups of picnickers. He was practically running now with Clary hanging onto his hand in desperation. Suddenly, Clary felt herself flying as her toe caught on the root of a gnarled old tree.

But, of course, Jace was there to catch her.

Clary was now fully in his arms, her palms pressed against his chest, trying to steady herself. Her heart was racing and her eyes were trained on Jace's, which were locked on hers. He was slowly leaning down toward her.

"Already falling for me?" Jace whispered in her ear.

This, of course, reminded Clary that she was in fact falling for him.

Which led her to remember how Annie and Jace were always together.

Which led her to remember how much of a jerk Jace could be.

With all her strength and willpower, Clary laughed and pushed him away. "As if."

She wiped her hands on her jeans and continued walking. When she finally cleared the top of the hill, her eyes were met with the sight of glistening blue water ripping underneath a stone bridge stretching over the width of the Lake. Without another thought about Jace, she started walking down towards the intricately designed bridge. She tried to distract herself from thinking about Jace's eyes, Jace's lips, Jace's voice, or just Jace in general. She had almost forgotten the sketchbook that she had been carrying. After all, that was her original plan: to go take a nice break to draw amongst the peaceful scenery of Central Park. She settled herself on the cool grass under the shade of a tree. She could see the towering buildings over the treetops. Clary began sketching the scene in front of her. Jace came to sit next to her and they sat side-by-side in silence, enjoying nature and each other's company.

* * *

It was another hour in the park before Clary stood up and brushed the grass and dirt off her jeans.

"Time to go?" Clary gathered her pencil and sketchbook and started walking back the way they'd came.

"Hold on, don't you want to walk over the bridge at least once?" Jace motioned towards Bow Bridge, "I've heard that it's an amazing view."

"Fine, whatever you'd like."

Jace was telling the truth. From the middle of the bridge, Clary could see the gently sloping hills and the water undulating beneath them. She saw countless families and couples lounging in the fields, taking advantage of the fine spring day. The serenity was a stark contrast to the commotion that defined New York City.

The walk back to the Institute took about forty minutes. Jace had offered to pay for the subway fare, but Clary had insisted that she wanted to see as much of Manhattan as possible. She saw everything from street vendors to designer stores, modern glass buildings to small fruit stands.

Finally, the pair walked the steps up to the Institute and rode down the elevator. The doors opened with a _ding!_ and Clary walked out with Jace close behind. She could hear laughter and loud voices coming from the library, so, naturally, that's where she headed. She entered the doors to find Alec, Isabelle, and Annie sitting around the table with cups of coffee and a book lying open in the center. _  
_

"Jace!" Annie was the first to notice their arrival. "Oh, hi, Clary! Where have you two been? It's been... two and a half hours!"

"Here and there," Jace replied vaguely, "I was just showing Clary around the city."

"Oh, I'd love to see the city!" Annie exclaimed excitedly, "Could you give me a tour sometime?"

"Sure thing, Annie. It'd be a pleasure." Jace smiled and went to sit in the chair next to Annie leaving Clary to sit in between Annie and Alec.

"So, what were you guys doing?" Clary asked, "Sounded like... fun."

"Oh, right!" Isabelle burst into giggles, "You'll never guess what we found!"

"I'm suddenly concerned. Do we want to know?" Jace looked wary.

Isabelle plowed on, "We found the most amazing book."

"Care to elaborate, dear Izzy?"

"It's about your family history, Jace!"

"Oh, great." Despite his nonchalant expression, something seemed to perk up in him. He leaned forward towards the book.

"You have a great-great-great grandfather named William Herondale," Isabelle started.

"So?"

"He hates ducks. You hate ducks. This is a genetic thing. It all makes sense now!" Isabelle exclaimed.

"Wait, you hate _ducks?" _Annie looked incredulous.

"Yeah, yeah. Well, it's genetic." Jace waved it off.

"And the writer, Tessa Gray, describes him as 'perpetually witty, generally sarcastic, and forever vain' and she also says 'William always acted as the chivalrous knight on his high white horse, prancing into battle without a fear for himself, but always for those whom he cared about.'" Isabelle handed Jace the book.

"Should I be offended?" Jace skimmed through the text quickly. "Wait, if William is my great-great-great grandfather, who was his wife?"

"This is where it's sort of tricky..." Isabelle sighed a bit, "I don't really get it, but Tessa and William were married, but the book also says Tessa was a warlock."

"But warlocks are sterile. How can we be related if she couldn't have children?"

"Thing is, she wasn't a warlock. Not really, at least. She was half-Shadowhunter."

"That's literally impossible."

"Au contrare. Your great-great-great grandmother is proof of a contradiction."

"And if she's a warlock, that means she's immortal. She's probably still alive. You might even be able to meet her," Clary pointed out.

"Uh, yeah, no. Not planning on meeting my 150-year-old relative." Jace shut the book and set it back on the table.

Annie nodded in agreement, "Yeah, that'd be a little strange."

Clary couldn't help but think that Annie was just agreeing with Jace in order to earn his favor. So this was how Annie was going to play the game? So be it.

"Anyways. Enough with the old people and relatives talk." Jace turned to Annie, "Would you care to join me for a hunt? I'll give you a tour of New York City while we're at it."

"I'd love to!" Annie grinned, "Thanks, Jace!"

And the bubbling fury was back in Clary's stomach. Wonderful. She shot imaginary lasers at their backs as they walked out of the library with intertwined hands.

"So they're a thing now?" Alec thought aloud.

"It won't last," Isabelle said decisively, "Jace goes through girls so fast that it makes your head spin."

"Poor Annie." Despite her tinge of anger and frustrating, Clary was still concerned for her best friend. She would never wish a broken heart unto anybody, much less the closest person she had to a sister.

_Jace is just like a trap, _Clary thought. Now she just had to figure out how to escape.

It would be easy.

Right?


	6. Invincibility (Jace POV)

**A/N: Some of you wanted me to (re)introduce some characters. I'll see what I can do ;) (But don't get your hopes up!)**

**Please review. I'm practically begging. **

**Oh, and some of you wanted a Jace POV chapter. **

**Read on!**

* * *

**Jace Herondale POV**

Who was the calendar to say that Friday had come? Who gave it the right to dictate time and the lives of those governed? Well, apparently the calendar, the almighty calendar, was going to stare back at Jace with its little black boxes and numbers.

It was the second day of May. It also happened to be the first _Friday _of the month, which also happened to be one week after Jace's run-in with the Eidolon demon at Pandemonium and the subsequent letter from Jonathan Morgenstern. Above all, it was the day Jace and Clary would saunter into the Morgenstern armed with nothing but their wits and whatever weapons they could shove into their boots, through belt loops, or under their jackets. Jace found it highly unlikely that Clary and him were going to make it out without at least a serious injury, if not death. He had already warned Clary of the danger. In fact, he had constantly tried to discourage her throughout the entire week.

"Clary, he's going to cut our throats."

"Clary, Jonathan is going to kill us."

"Clary, we're both going to die. If you don't go, you won't have a chance to die."

"Clary, Jonathan knows your name. Isn't that creepy?"

"Clary, don't go."

"Clary, please."

"Clary."

Despite his protests and obvious efforts at keeping her in the Institute, she continued to plan out the evening with a burning intensity. She found old blueprints of the Morgenstern Mansion in the extensive collection at the Institute Library and memorized all the possible escape routes. She trained herself to withstand the stench of demons so that she would not have a repeat of her first day in New York City. Fainting in the Mansion would mean the death of her, and she knew it too. She read books regarding the Circle, the anti-Downworlder organization created by Valentine Morgenstern, and sought out Jocelyn, Luke, Maryse, and Robert to find out more about what happened and what Jonathan's motives could possibly be. If anything, she was more prepared than Jace was, which did tend to spark competition. Instead of strategy and smarts, Jace decided to train. A lot. He woke up early in the morning to do strength training. Then, when it was an acceptable time to wake up, he would jump on Alec's bed and splash cold water on his parabatai's face. Sparring with Alec always put a smile on his face. So did Alec's startled expression, but that wasn't the point.

Jace tore his gaze away from his wall and walked towards his door when it suddenly flung open. Clary stood in front of him, breathing hard, hair hastily tied up, and her face in a look of utter intensity.

"Clary, are you okay? You look a little..." Jace decided that finishing the sentence may not end well for him, so he snapped his mouth shut.

"Insane? I know." Without asking permission, she stepped into his bedroom and shut the door behind her.

"Oh good, so we're on the same page." Jace glanced nervously at Clary's pacing figure, "Now would you like to tell me what's going on?"

"We have a weapon."

"A... what?"

"A weapon. We have something to use against Jonathan." Clary had stopped her anxious pacing at this point and was now staring at Jace with clear green eyes. It was hard for Jace to look away, so he simply didn't.

"Like what? More seraph blades?"

"No, runes."

"We already have runes, remember? We're shadowhunters. It's sort of our thing."

"No, no. That's not what I mean. We have _new_ runes."

"Like, what, you found new runes we never knew before? Unlikely. I know basically all of them."

"Wow, Jace. So much for being humble. No, I mean I can make new runes."

"That's impossible. No one can do that."

"Just because _you _can't do it doesn't mean no one else can."

"Prove it, then." Jace folded his arms and watched Clary grin and reach for her stele which was tucked in her boot.

"Sure thing, Mr. Herondale."

And with that, she began to draw swooping arcs and short lines which intersected curves and symbols unknown to Jace, which of course made him concerned. "Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean... what if you kill yourself?"

Clary had no response but a fleeting smile and a flourish of her hand.

"Okay..." Jace said, "So what is that supposed to do?"

"Get your seraph blade."

Jace paused and searched her eyes as if looking for an answer. He grabbed his favorite blade off his desk and asked, "Will this do?"

"Perfect. Now hit me."

Jace froze. "With the blade?"

"Yes, with the blade. Duh." Clary motioned towards her outstretched arm. "Hit me."

"No! You're mental!"

"My intelligence is not relevant."

"I would chop your arm off!"

"Well, let's see you do it!"

"No! That's... that's... crazy!"

"_If you don't hit me now, I swear I will stab my arm myself!_" Clary lunged forward as if to take his blade, but Jace's instincts kicked in and he swung the seraph blade away from her. Instead, Clary brought her fist up to crash into his shoulder and he dropped his blade in surprise. In a flash, she grabbed the hilt of the blade and spun the tip so it was resting against her forearm.

"Clary. Don't."

"Just shut up for a second, Jace! I'm going to be _fine_!" Clary began to dig the blade into her skin. She was dragging it in a straight line from her forearm down to the tip of her middle finger. Jace cringed and watched with a sickened interest.

There was no blood.

There was no scratch.

There was nothing.

Clary's face was completely lit up in the most joyous expression Jace had ever seen her with. She was practically glowing with pride.

"How in the world did you just... what... I mean... a rune?" Jace was tripping over his words.

"If only you had just stabbed me. Would've been so much easier." Clary laughed and handed his blade back to him and went to leave. "I have to run, but see you tonight, yeah?"

"Wait!" Jace reached for Clary's wrist and caught hold, "How did you do it?"

"What, the rune?"

"Well, of course!"

"I'm not sure. I was doodling and for some reason I was thinking about how it would be nice to be invincible, even if were just for a little while. When I looked down at my paper, I had drawn this rune and so I just decided to try it out."

"How long does it last?"

"Only a couple hours, but it should be enough to get us through the dinner. It completely rules out serious injuries by blade, but it doesn't fully block pain. I learned that the hard way."

"You could've killed yourself!"

"Obviously I didn't, so calm down. Would you rather have had me not figure this out?"

"No, but stop throwing your life around like it's no big deal!"

"I'm doing this to help _you, _Jace!"

"You wouldn't be much help to me if you were dead!"

"But I'm not! God, Jace. Just leave it." Clary sighed in exasperation, "Just make sure you're ready for tonight." With that, she walked out of the room.

Jace was left standing in the middle of his room with his seraph blade dangling in his right hand. How could Clary just continue to put her life in jeopardy like that? _She is so amazing and insanely stupid. Putting her own life in danger along with others'? Clary is literally the most infuriating human being on this entire planet. She's so reckless and stupid and... and... and..._

And then Jace realized that he had nothing more to say about her. The list of bad qualities ended there, which frightened him. He usually had a lot more to complain about, but Clary drew a blank. Instead, Jace found himself thinking about her fiery red hair and the clarity of her piercing green eyes and how she smiled to herself when she was drawing like she was the holder of an important secret that the rest of the world didn't deserve to know. He remembered how she had fallen into his arms in Central Park and the way she had turned away like it had pained her. He remembered how much he had just wanted to hold her there in his arms.

These were dangerous thoughts, so Jace pushed them away.

Annie on the other hand... she was easy. So willing to please. So willing to commit. There was such an innocence about her that Jace almost felt bad for thinking about using her. Key word: almost. His conquests had never bothered him before, but Clary had proved that wrong. A little twinge in his chest made Jace wince. The thought of Clary as a conquest upset him. She was too strong to be lured by him.

With a confused sigh, Jace trudged out of his bedroom and toward the training room. A good couple hours of sparring would do him good.

* * *

Three o'clock rolled around with a sort of finality. Jace, Annie, Clary, Alec, and Isabelle were sitting in the Library with yet another piece of paper laying on the table.

_Jace and Clary_,

_I'm looking forward to dinner tonight. Please arrive at six o'clock sharp. Let's install a rule of formality as this is an introductory dinner and we must make our best impressions, correct?_

_J.C. Morgenstern_

__Impressions indeed. If Jace or Clary came off the least bit hostile, Jonathan would surely decapitate the both of them within the instant they met, which Jace obviously wanted to avoid at all costs. The one thing he was worried about was if Clary would be able to handle it. He had no doubt about her abilities as a shadowhunter, but Jonathan was no ordinary enemy. Jace already knew that he was capable of handling the situation from his previous dealings with the half-demon creature, but that didn't mean that he had wanted to repeat history.

Isabelle's voice broke through the silence, "Formal events are my specialty. I'll get Clary ready."

"Thanks, Isabelle," Clary graciously thanked, "I have a dress in mind, though."

"Perfect! Can you meet me in my room in five minutes?"

"Um, do we really need that much time to prep?"

"You should know that Isabelle takes an hour and a half just getting ready to walk out her bedroom," Jace pointed out.

"Hey!" Isabelle threw a pencil at Jace's laughing figure which he deftly caught.

Jace watched as Clary and Isabelle left and he found himself wondering what Isabelle had in store for Clary.

"That means you'll need a tux, right?" Alec asked.

"Yeah, yeah," Jace waved him off, "I got it. No need to make me up like your sis."

"Not my intention."

Throughout this entire meeting, Annie had not spoken a word. Her eyes were trained on the ground as if she wished she weren't there. She cleared her throat and stood up quickly.

"I think I'll just... go," Annie murmured. She left without another word.

"What's up with her?" Jace whispered to Alec.

"Jealousy does that to people. She's a nice girl, so try to refrain from crushing her heart." Alec patted him on the shoulder and added, "Good luck with Clary."

_Good luck with Clary? What was _that _supposed to mean?_

Jace sighed and went to find a tuxedo.

* * *

__The portal shimmered in the dim room. Jace kept glancing at the clock on the wall. _5:51 PM. _Where was Clary? As though his thoughts had willed her into his presence, Clary stepped out of the hallway and out into the light. Jace could feel his throat tighten when he saw her. She was wearing a flowing white dress and her red hair was wavy and pinned up in an elaborate mess of curls and loops. She was searching his eyes as if looking for approval. Jace couldn't bring himself to put on his signature smirk. He could only stand and stare at the transformed girl.

_She's beautiful. _Jace longed to put his hands in her hair and take out all those pins and things in her hair: she would look so much more like the Clary he knew. He stepped towards her and held his hand out.

"You look amazing, Clary," Jace smiled and reached his hand toward her hair, "but let's see if we can do something about this hair of yours."

With a couple of deft movements, he scattered all the pins and her hair cascaded down onto her shoulders. She was blushing furiously and she kept her eyes trained on her feet. Jace tilted her chin up with his finger and looked into her emerald eyes. She returned his gaze with a burning intensity.

"Stand tall and stay strong, Clarissa Fray," Jace whispered, "don't let Jonathan hurt you."

He laced his fingers in her small ones and together they walked through the portal, an unbreakable pair.


	7. A Dinner to Die For

**A/N: Sorry about not updating last weekend! I had a tennis tournament all weekend and orchestra rehearsal! Plus, I had an orchestra competition two weeks ago and Mother's Day plans. MY SINCEREST APOLOGIES. **

* * *

The familiar feeling of not knowing where one was in space settled around Clary as she stepped into the Portal. Her body seemed to be tugged and squeezed in the most peculiar of ways. The only thing she was fully aware of was Jace's warm fingers intertwined in hers. There was the sudden rushing of everything and nothing all at once and then the pair were thrust back into reality. Clary landed hard on her ankles and stumbled slightly in her high heels, falling back a little towards Jace who was steadily supporting her. She exhaled shakily and stepped away from him.

"Are you okay, Clary?" Jace put his warm hand on her trembling shoulder.

"I'm fine, really." Clary felt a chill work down her spine and cold sweat gathering on the back of her neck.

"No, you're not. Don't lie to me." He turned her around so that she was facing him. "You look sick, Clary. Maybe you shouldn't be here."

"It's just..." And suddenly Clary was struck with a wave of nausea. She squeezed her eyes shut and took a shuddering breath. "The demons. There are so many. I can feel each and every one of them."

"You shouldn't have come." He hugged her to chest and spoke, his every word vibrating across her cheek, "Go back to the Institute, Clary. I'll be okay here."

She extricated herself from his arms and looked up at his concerned face. "No, I have to do this. I'm not going to show _him _any weakness."

"You know, if you walk in there like this, Jonathan's more likely to send his demons after you. Don't try to help me when you can't even stand up straight."

"Just let me do this, okay, Jace? Let me do this for myself if I can't do it for you. Just let me be selfish right now." Clary's breath caught in her throat when she saw Jace's face turn from stubbornness to obvious pain.

"I can't let you get hurt, Clary. You're a good shadowhunter, but I can't assure you that you'll be okay."

"You don't need to assure me, Jace. I know I'll be alright."

"But I need to be sure. I need to know for my own sake, Clary. I can't... I won't see you hurt." Jace cupped his palm on her cheek and she felt herself blush furiously.

"Sometimes risk is the only way forward."

"Even when you're wise, you're being dumb." Jace leaned closer so that the tip of his nose was resting on hers.

And then.

And then.

And then.

His lips were on hers with a touch as light as air, as light as a breeze. A flood of emotion broke through the stone dam of Clary's heart and she knotted her fingers in his hair. She pressed herself to him with a desperation that she didn't know she possessed. Jace's warm hand pressed the small of her back and he pulled her closer.

Was it a second?

A minute?

A decade?

Eternity?

Clary couldn't tell. She reluctantly pulled back first and smiled up at Jace's content face. She whispered, "We're going to be okay, right?"

"As long as you trust me, then I trust you, Clary," Jace said steadily, "Just make sure to stay with me at all times. You know, for safety."

Clary rolled her eyes and laced her fingers in his. "Yes, of course. Only for my _safety._"

With intertwined hands and deep breaths, the pair walked down the paved path towards the Mansion with their heads held high. They reached the front doors - heavy wooden things with intricate designs and deep-set carvings topped with a pair of golden knockers. Jace raised the knocker down and slammed it down with a loud crash. Almost instantaneously, a demon opened the front door. It was the Eidolon demon from their little Pandemonium adventure.

"Ah, Master Jonathan will be _so _pleased to see that you have arrived," the demon said. It checked it's wristwatch and announced, "And you're right on time. He will so very pleased."

"Please express our gratitude for the invitation to dinner." Jace fought to keep his voice from trembling, "We're very much looking forward to it."

"Of course, Mr. Herondale." It darted down the hall and poked its head into a room. It began speaking in a low voice, but there was no response. Finally, the Eidolon returned.

"Master is ready to see you," It proclaimed, "He is through the third door on your left."

Clary looked up at Jace not only for support but to see if he was faring well. Clary was relieved to see that Jace had managed to keep his emotions under control. He wore a mask of pleasant nonchalance. The only indication of his true fear was the cold tight hand squeezing hers. They followed the Eidolon demon down the hall and stopped in front of a set of large double doors. The demon pushed it open with a flourish.

"Mr. Jace Herondale and Ms. Clarissa Fray have arrived, Master."

Sitting in the middle of the long dining table was a man with white-blond hair and piercing black eyes. He wore a smile that sent chills down Clary's spine.

"Welcome to Morgenstern Mansion," Jonathan said, "Please, have a seat."

Jace sat in the seat directly across from Jonathan and directed Clary to the seat on his right. He finally released her hand only to press his knee against hers as if he was leaning against her for support.

"Thank you for inviting us to dinner." Jace plastered on a decently convincing smile. "We've been looking forward to it all week."

"As have I," Jonathan replied. His cold eyes turned towards Clary slowly. "Clarissa, you look _beautiful _tonight."

"Thank you, Mr. Morgenstern," Clary graciously answered, ignoring the shudder, "Your mansion is quite extraordinary. I had not known of its existence until last week."

"Few people know of my home. No need to broadcast my, _ah_, location. I prefer the quiet life."

"So, what have you been doing recently?" Jace inquired, "We have not heard from you in quite a while. There has been no news of your work, which I'm assuming is still continuing."

"Oh, do tell us, Mr. Morgenstern," Clary prompted, "What is your line of work? Jace had not mentioned anything to me."

Jonathan shifted his gaze and said, "Please call me Jonathan. 'Mr. Morgenstern' was my father."

"Of course, Jonathan."

"Well, I've been dedicated to doing the job my father started. He had a vision of a pure, safe world and did everything he could to make that possible. He passed away before he could share his dreams with the world, so I have been left to continue where he left off."

"A pure world? How so?" Clary steeled herself for the answer.

"Wars and violent actions have all been started by Downworlders in the past. I think it is time for us to prevent any more deaths at the hands of Downworlders by taking _precautionary _measures."

"Surely not all wars have been started by Downworlders," Clary countered. She thought of the numerous warlocks she had met from all around the world and their tendency to laugh and drink just a bit too much. She could not imagine this would be true.

"It is true. All wars in recorded history have been started because of Downworlders."

Clary noticed how he said "recorded history" but decided not to argue with him. "What measures would you take?"

"That is still being decided."

"So what are Jace and I doing here, sir?" Clary asked, not thinking about the possible repercussions of her curiosity. She felt Jace tense next to her.

"Ah, I was hoping you would ask." Jonathan leaned forward. "I was hoping that you would help me."

"How?" Jace countered, "What help would we be?"

"Clarissa, I know who you are. I know what you can do with those runes of yours. Don't hide your talents from the world. I know more about you than you know about yourself. And Jace, surely you understand why I chose you. You are stronger and faster than most Shadowhunters in the world and you carry the blood of an angel, as I carry the blood of a demon. We are meant to work together."

"I would hope that I know more about myself than you do, but I'd like to know why you think you know better." Clary forced a smile and said, "I did not know that we had ever met."

"Oh, we have met. Many many times."

"When? I can't remember."

"Do you not remember this house? Do you not remember me at all and who I am to you? Have you already forgotten?"

"It seems that I have..." Clary hesitated, "I apologize for my lack of memory. Could you please explain?"

"Who is your father, Clary?"

"Luke Garroway. Why is this of importance?"

He ignored her question and plowed on, "And why do you think so?"

Clary thought this was a ridiculous question. "A father is a father. It is simple. He's been with me since birth and he's been with my mother for longer."

"And it is there that you are incorrect. He has not been with you for your entire life. In fact, there have been quite a few people who have known you for much longer."

"Like who?"

"Valentine Morgenstern."

"Your father?"

"Yes, dear sister. _Our _father."

Clary thought she had heard wrong. She could not register this information. Luke was her father, had always been her father. She had never even met Valentine Morgenstern before.

"_No._" Jace whispered, "No it can't be!"

"Oh, but Jace, it is. Quite true."

"But... Luke..." Clary stuttered.

"Is only a replacement, if anything."

"No!" Jace exclaimed, "This isn't... this can't... no, no, no!"

"No need to be so dramatic, Jace. It's not like _you _have anything to do with it." Jonathan smiled, "Or do you?"

"Jace, what are you not telling me?" Clary asked. Her voice trembled. Seeing Jace in this broken state was sending pulses of pain through her.

"Clary, did you ever ask where Jace's parents are?"

"No, but why is that..."

"Tell her, Jace," Jonathan ordered, "She should know."

"What is it, Jace? What's going on?"

"Your... your father. He knew my p-parents." Jace breathed heavily and continued, "They were really very close. He's the person who gave me angel blood by injecting it into my mother. When... when I was born, he raised me and wouldn't let me see my parents. He took me away to train with other _special _Shadowhunters. I didn't see them again until I was five."

"Oh, I'm so sorry Jace..." Clary reached for his hand which withdrew from hers as if she had burned him. He would not meet her eyes.

"Let him continue, Clarissa. No more interrupting." Jonathan commanded.

Jace took a shaky breath and continued, "I trained with another Shadowhunter-in-training... she was also injected with angel blood because of Valentine, but instead of having it forcibly injected in the mother, the mother drank an infusion. This girl was the daughter of Valentine... and she was... talented with... runes."

Clary suddenly understood. She was this girl that he spoke of from his childhood. Why couldn't she remember anything?

"When I turned seven, Valentine told me he had to see me, so I went to his study. There was a warlock in the room and my parents were kneeling on the floor with their hands and feet tied. Valentine told me that they had been breaking the rules and that they had to be punished and that th-the only way to fully punish them... was for their son to watch it happen. Then, they brought my training partner - you - in. Valentine forced the warlock to... to put an obedience spell on you so that you would listen."

_Oh no, _Clary thought. _No. _Had she been the one to punish them?

"He made you make torture runes of all kinds... and you applied them to my parents." Jace turned white as a sheet and his hands were trembling. "And then, Valentine asked you to end them."

"No," Clary breathed, "This... no."

"And you did. The little red-headed girl killed them."

"But..."

"Clary, you killed my parents. You killed the only family I had left! YOU KILLED THEM!" Jace was shouting and saying incomprehensible gibberish and all Clary wanted to do was hold him and console him but he wouldn't let her touch him.

"You killed them, Clary," Jace spoke with a dark intensity, "and I will never forget."

* * *

_Woahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. They got all happy and together and then BAM. DEATH. See ya next week ;)_


End file.
